Argentine Radio Icon Oscar Negro Gonzalez Oro Dies at 74
- Oscar "El Negro" González Oro, the iconic Argentine radio host whose decades-long career defined an era of national broadcasting, died on Friday at the age of 74.
- Born in Mendoza in 1951 to parents Ricardo and Tita, González Oro forged a distinct profile across various radio stations before his career shifted dramatically in 1998 when...
- His broadcast popularity soon led him in front of television cameras, where he participated in Polémica en el bar alongside Gerardo Sofovich and hosted various programs on Canal...
Oscar “El Negro” González Oro, the iconic Argentine radio host whose decades-long career defined an era of national broadcasting, died on Friday at the age of 74. Allegods told Clarín that González Oro was found dead in his bed at his home in Punta del Este, Uruguay, where he had been living after stepping away from the media roughly two years ago.
A Defining Era in Argentine Radio
Born in Mendoza in 1951 to parents Ricardo and Tita, González Oro forged a distinct profile across various radio stations before his career shifted dramatically in 1998 when Daniel Hadad recruited him for Radio 10. His flagship program, El Oro y el Moro, launched during the first days of January 1999 and quickly became a registered trademark across the country. Measurement metrics from the era indicated that hundreds of thousands of listeners tuned in across the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, the capital, and the nation’s interior. His signature voice and style filled businesses and taxis, drawing calls from retirees, cab drivers, and professionals alike. The iconic program ran until 2014, spanning a period when Radio 10 came under the ownership of Cristóbal López.
Television Work and Final Radio Cycle
His broadcast popularity soon led him in front of television cameras, where he participated in Polémica en el bar alongside Gerardo Sofovich and hosted various programs on Canal 9. His final radio cycle returned to Radio 10 in an afternoon slot. Titled Negro y regreso, the program marked his attempt to reimagine his classic style and reintroduce his well-known catchphrases, including his signature phrase “dale gas”.
Reflections and Tributes From Colleagues
In the months leading up to his death, González Oro shared a series of reflections and poems regarding life and what he described as the twilight of his own. In a January social media post, he wrote, “Muy cerca de mi ocaso, yo te bendigo vida, porque nunca me diste ni esperanza fallida, ni trabajos injustos, ni pena inmercida”. He added in another post that he had received much throughout his life, telling his audience that they made him live entirely and that he had given them almost everything he had. Tributes from colleagues poured in following news of his passing. Daniel Hadad, his former boss and friend, wrote, “Negrito querido, te vamos a extrañar”. Journalist Eduardo Feinmann, who shared the airwaves with González Oro from the inception of El Oro y el Moro and became a close friend, expressed immense sorrow over the loss. Meanwhile, radio and television host Beto Casella shared details regarding González Oro’s recent health struggles during his Rock and Pop program, recounting a text message exchange from Saturday in which González Oro noted that his health was not accompanying him well and that he experienced difficulty walking and maintaining his balance.
